Bottle-seal.



K0 41240. YPATENTED DEC. 15, 1903. E. D. SCHMITT.

BOTTLE SEAL. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 20, 1902. EENEWBD MAY 20, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

attoznm rrnn drains Patented December 15, 1903.

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EDWARD D. SCHMITT, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO UNIVERSAL SEAL 8a STOPPER COMPANY, OF CAMDEN, NEWV JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

BOTTLE SEAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 747,240, dated December 15, 1903.

Application filed August 20,1902. Renewed May 20, 1903. Serial No- 157,960. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD D. SOHMITT, a citizen of the United States, residing in Baltimore city, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Seals and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that type of bottlesealing devices especially designed for sealing beverages under pressure; and it consists of the novel construction and peculiar arrangement of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully described,and briefly stated in the claims.

The present invention has for its especial object the production of a simple and inexpensive seal which can be readily and quickly applied to a bottle and removed without the aid or use of a specially-designed tool or implement.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the seal that it may be reused any desired number of times without impairing its 0 effectiveness in the least.

Still another object of the invention is to eliminate all objectional features, such as projections,which will interfere or prevent the wiring or incasing of the neck in tin-foil or similar material.

Other objects and advantages of the in vention will become apparent upon a further description thereof.

In carrying out my invention I purpose to effect the seal in the neck of the bottle, and thus avoid the defects inherent in the seals known as the cap type, the most serious of which is the great liability of the upper outer edge of the bottle-neck becoming chipped, thereby preventing the making of an eifective seal.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a sectional view of the neck of a bottle, having a speciallyconstructed inner wall, showing the sealing device seated therein, but not locked. Fig.

2 is a similar view showing the sealing device properly seated but locked. Fig. 3 is a perspective viewof the sealing device enlarged and removed. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of one of the parts of the locking member, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the other part thereof.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the bottle-neck, which has its inner wall provided with an annular recess or chamber 2, formed with an upper shoulder 3 and a lower shoulder or sealing-seat 4.

The seal consists of a securing member 5, carrying a sealing member-or disk 6, which may be of cork, suitably-faced tin, wood, or, in fact, of any suitable material adapted for close sealing-contact with the lower sealingseat, and a locking member 7. The securing member is formed of a strip of suitable material, preferably of spring metal, stamped or otherwise shaped to form arms 8, and a horizontal connecting-piece 9, to which the sealing member or disk 6 is attached. The arms of the securing member are provided with engaging shoulders 10 and slightly-extended terminals 11, which in the present instance are slightly curved at their ends, as indicated by the numeral 12, and provided with narrow rectangular openings 13 for the passage of the narrowed portions 14 of the strips or plates 15 and 16 of the locking member 7. These narrowed portions of the strips or plates are bent sharply upon themselves after being passed through the openings 13 to form eyes to prevent their Withdrawal from said openings, and thus the plates 15 and 16 are hinged to the terminals of the arms of the securing member.

The locking member consists of two strips or plates 15 and 16, and the plate 15 is provided with a slot 17 for the passage of the T- head 18 of the strip or plate 16, which T-head is inserted through said slot and turned, thus locking the two plates together. The outer end of the part 15 of the locking member terminates in an arm or lever l9,which is formed with an approximately straight portion 20, that bears upon the part 16 when the seal is locked, and a similar portion 21, upon which the T-head of the part16 rests when the seal is in the position just mentioned. The part is further provided with a curved portion 22, adapted to fit over the terminal of one of the arms of the securing member and over the upper edge of the bottle;neck. Thelower end of the arm or lever 19 is bent sharply inward at about right angles to form a sort of hook 23, adapted to engage the shoulder 24 on the outer wallof the bottle-neck,and thereby prevent the possibility of said arm or lever being accidentally raised, and' the end of said lever is further bent sharply outward, which bending forms a groove 25 for the reception of a Wire or other means which passes around the bottle-neck and is fastened in the usual manner and which holds the arm and seal positively in locked position, it being impossible to unlock theseal without cutting or otherwise removing the wire or other fastening.

In sealing the bottle with my improved seal the same is placed in the neck of the bottle and forced down until the sealing member is in close engagement with the lower shoulder of the sealing-seat 4:. In entering the seal into the mouth of the bottle the arms of the securing member will be pressed together until the said member is passed sufficiently into the recess to permit its arms to expand, when the shoulders on the arms of the securing member will be brought into engagement with the upper shoulder in the bottle-neck. The arm 19 is forced downward, which movement causes the centerof the connected strips or plates 15 and 16 to be forced downward until said center passes slightly below a horizontal line drawn from the respective outer ends of the two strips or plates, expanding the shoulders of the arms against the shoulders in the bottle-neck and locking the arms securely against possible inward motion. The two strips by reason of their peculiar construction and connection can move toward each other for a very short distance; but when a certain point is reached the strips or plates become locked against further sliding upon or toward each other. This is the point at which the parts of the locking member begin to expand the arms of the securing member.

I find that better results are accomplished by inclining the engaging shoulders on the securing member, as well as slightly inclining the upper shoulder in the bottle-neck, as this construction obviously brings about a wedging tendency in the sealing operation, which causes the securing member to descend, compressing the sealing member with very considerable force and effecting a perfect seal. Obviously it is unnecessary to incline both the shoulders on the securing member, as the shoulders on the securing member would 0perate with the same results against a square shoulder in the bottleneck, or a straight shoulder on the securing member would accomplish the same results operating against an inclined shoulder in the bottle-neck.

To unlock and remove the seal is extremely simple, as it is only necessary to raise the arm 19, which will unlock the locking member with a tendency to draw the two arms of the securingmember together, when a little force being used the whole seal is readily removable from the bottle-neck.

While I have shown and described this seal as applied to a bottle, it is obvious that the same is readily adaptable for sealing jarsor vessels having larger months, the change being simply one of proportion.

One of the several advantages possessed by seals of the type herein described is that their utility as a seal is not destroyed upon their removal from a-bottle for the first time, and it will be apparent that they may be reused until the sealing-disk has become injured and worn out to such an extent as to render it ineffective, when it can be replaced.

Another important advantage to be derived from myimproved seal is the absence of projecting parts, which permits of the easy wiring of the bottle-neck and the wrapping of the same with tin or other foil. It will also be noted that the spring-arm 10 serves athreefold function, serving as a means to lock and unlock the locking member and to hold or maintain said locking member in locked position.

I claim 1. In a bottle-seal, the combination with a bottle having formed in the inside of the neck thereof a sealing-seat, and a shoulder above said sealing-seat, of a sealing member, a securing member adapted to engage the upper shoulder and bear upon the sealing member, and a two-part locking member adapted to lock the securing member in engagement with the upper shoulder in the bottle-neck, substantially as described.

2. In a bottle-seal, the combination with a bottle having upper and lower shoulders formed in the neck thereof, of a sealing memto bear upon the sealing member, and a twopart locking member adapted to lock the shoulders of the securing member into engagement with the upper shoulder in the bottle-neck, substantially as described.

3. In a bottle-seal, the combination with a bottle having upper and lower shoulders in the neck thereof, of asealing mem ber adapted to be seated on the lower shoulder, a securing member having engaging shoulders for engaging the upper shoulder, and a bearing portion to bear upon the sealing member, a two-part locking member, said parts being so connected together and to the securing member that they will expand and lock said member when forced to locking position, substantially as described.

4. In a bottle-seal, the combination with a bottle having upper and lower shoulders in the neck thereof, of a sealing member adapted IIO to be seated on the lower shoulder, a secur- 1 locking member in locked position, substaning member having engaging shoulders for engaging the upper shoulder, and a bearing portion adapted to bear upon the sealing member, a two-part locking member, said parts being so connected together and to the securing member that they will expand and lock the securing member when forced to locking position, and means for holding the locking member in locked position, substantially as described.

5. In a bottle-seal, the combination with a bottle having upper and lower shoulders in the neck thereof, of asealing member adapted to be seated on the lower shoulder, a springmetalsecuring member havinginclined shoulders for engaging the upper shoulder, and a bearing portion adapted to bear upon the sealing member, said securing member having its arms extended slightly above its shoulders, and a two-part locking member having its outer ends connected with said arm extensions, said locking-member parts being locked together so that when pressure is applied thereto, the locking member will lock the securing member firmly in place in the bottle-neck, substantially as described.

6. In a bottle-seal, the combination with a bottle having upper and lower shoulders in the neck thereof, of a sealing member adapted to be seated on the lower shoulder, a springmetal securing member having inclined shoulders for engaging the upper shoulder, and a bearing portion adapted to bear upon the sealing member, said securing member having its arms extended slightly above its shoulders, and a two-part locking member having its outerends connected together with said arm extensions, said lockingmember parts being locked together so that when pressure is applied thereto the locking member will lock the securing member firmly in place in the bottle-neck, and means for maintaining the securing member in locked position, substantially as described.

7. In a bottle-seal, the combination with a bottle having upper and lower shoulders in the neck thereof, of a sealing member adapted to make sealing contact with the lower shoulder, a spring-metal securing member having inclined shoulders for engaging the upper shoulder, and a portion adapted to bear upon the sealing member, a two-part locking member, and means for locking and unlocking the locking member, substantially as described.

8. vIn a bottle-seal, the combination with a bottle having upper and lower shoulders in the neck thereof, ofa sealing memberadapted to make sealing contact with the lower shoulder, a securing member having shoulders for engaging the upper shoulder, and a bearing portion adapted to bear upon the sealing member, and a locking member consisting of two strips or plates connected together, one of said strips or plates being extended to form a means for locking and maintaining the tially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a bottle-seal, the combination with a bottle having upper and lower shoulders in the neck thereof, of a sealing member adapted to make sealing contact with the lower shoulder, a spring-metal securing member having inclined shoulders for engaging the upper shoulder in the bottle-neck, and a bearing portion adapted to bear upon the sealing member, and a locking member consisting of two strips or plates connected together, and t0 the arms of the securing member, one of said strips or plates being extended to form a means for locking and maintaining the looking member in locked position, substantially as described.

10. An article of manufacture, a bottle-seal comprising a sealing member, a securing member, and a two-part locking member for locking the securing member, substantially as described.

11. An article of manufacture, a bottle-seal comprising a sealing member, a securing member, a two-part locking member carried by the securing member for locking the said securing member, substantially as described.

12. An article of man ufacture,abottle-seal comprising a securing member having engaging shoulders and a bearing portion, a sealing member, a two-part locking member, said parts being so locked together and to the securing member that when pressure is applied thereto the locking member will lock the securing member, substantially as described.

13. An article of manufacture, a bottle-seal comprising a securing member having inclined shoulders and a bearing portion, a looking member comprised of two strips or plates, carried by the securing member and connected with each other, one of said strips or plates being provided with an extension forming a locking and unlocking arm, substantially as described.

14. An article of manufacture, a bottle-seal comprising a sealing member, a spring-metal securing member formed with arms having engaging shoulders thereon, and a base-piece or bearing portion, a sealing member, a l0cking member composed of two strips or plates connected together, and to the securing member, one of said strips or plates being provided with an extension forming a locking and unlocking arm, substantially as described.

15. In a bottle-seal, the combination with a bottle having formed in the inside of the neck thereof a sealing-seat, anda shoulder above said sealing-seat, of a sealing member, a securing member adapted to engage the upper shoulder and bear upon the sealing member, and a locking member adapted to lock the securing member in sealing position in the bot tle-neck when said locking member passes in its downward movement the line of its greatest lateral resistance, substantially as described.

member in sealing position in the bottle-neck when said locking member reaches or passes in its downward movement the line of its greatest lateral resistance.

17. In a bottle-seal, the combination with a bottle having upper and lower shoulders in the neck thereof, and a shoulder on the outside of said neck, of a sealing member adapted to make sealing contact with the lower shoulder, a securing member having shoulders for engaging the upper shoulder and a portion to bear upon the sealing member, and a locking member consisting of two strips or plates connected together and to the securing member and adapted to have a toggle action on said securing member in the locking operation, one of said strips or plates being extended to form an arm for engaging the shoulder on the outside of the bottle-neck to prevent the accidental unlocking of the seal, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD D. SCHMITT.

Witnesses:

FRANK D. BLAOKISTONE, FLORA PIERCE. 

